Reply #11: My guess is that shrinking oil supplies [View All]

[pscot]

are going to cause a depression. The Great Depression of the 1930's lasted more than 10 years. This one is probably going to be longer and deeper, in fact, a permant condition of our lives, lasting until we are able to create a new economic basis for society. There will probably be wide-spread job losses, here and abroad, accompanied by food shortages. Third-world famines are likely. In this country, unemployment, malnutrition and homelessnes are likely to become serious issues. I think this economic catastrophe is pretty close; maybe within the next 5 years, certainly before 2020. Moving around will become harder. You won't be able to give your Hummer away. Good things to have would be a close-knit community, a large circle of friends, a paid for house, a large savings account, a complete kit of hand and garden tools, a bicycle with spare tubes and tires, two good pairs of boots, a rowboat or canoe, a shotgun and a couple of cases of shells, secure food storage. I could go on, but you get the idea. Farriers and wheelwrights will come into their own again.